One of the most revered, if not the holiest nights of fashion, the Met Gala becomes a veritable stomping grounds where the best, brightest, and the boldest descends on the hallowed grounds of the fine art museum. This year, with a controversial theme in play, we list down our top 10 best dressed for the night.
Related: The Most Unforgettable MET Gala Fashion Moments Of All Time
Ah, the first Monday of May. While it may just be another dreaded start of the week for most, it is a date highly anticipated by the voracious fashion folk. A coming together of style, film, music and art, the glorious Met Gala is often touted as either the Oscars or Superbowl of social fashion events. Whatever way you choose to see it as, it only means one thing—it is a pretty damn big deal. So much so that when this year’s controversial theme was announced, the hype and subsequent build-up around the fete was closely watched as it was guarded. Nothing less for the benefit that was first founded in 1948.
Since taking the helm in 1995, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour has taken the Met Gala for a stellar and sparkling turn with the help of the likes of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry who have all co-chaired the event with the high-priestess of fashion. For its 70th edition, she partners with Amal Clooney, Donatella Versace and Rihanna who together with Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Andrew Bolton, have anchored the gala on the theme, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.
A vexed theme by all means, with some throwing in the words blasphemy and sacrilege to the fashion mix, Andrew Bolton has defended the choice by saying, “Some might consider fashion to be an unfitting or unseemly medium by which to engage with ideas about the sacred or the divine, but dress is central to any discussion about religion. It affirms religious allegiances and, by extension, it asserts religious differences.” While it may still be a hot topic to this very second, and much of the run of the exhibition, the Met Gala curation has not only elicited a reaction from the typically tight-lipped fashion folk and challenged them to step out and interpret it to their best abilities.
And the red carpet Olympics sure didn’t disappoint as pillars of grace, elegance and unequivocal panache stepped out in their grandest of fashion for all the world to see. Bedazzled floor-sweeping frocks? Check. Strategically placed religious references? Check. Monastic shapes and silhouettes? Check. Metallic halos and towering crowning glories? Check and check. The fashion gods must’ve been truly pleased because boy, was it a sight to see.
Scroll down to see who made the list of best dressed stars at the Met Gala 2018:
10. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Ralph Lauren
Rounding out the list is the ever-stunning and can-do-no-wrong Rosie Huntington-Whiteley who glistened in her gold Ralph Lauren gown with a neckline that was cut dangerously low. The effortless beauty and regal frock took to greater heights with an actual halo firmly in place on her the back her head. If this is what heaven looks like then sign us up straight away.
9. Jennifer Lopez in Balmain
Did we ever doubt that the ageless Miss Jenny from the block wouldn’t turn it out? Clearly not, as she once again made jaws drop with her dazzling Balmain original that feathers out at the end with fine plumage in midnight black. Strategic cut-outs and a slicked back hair pointed all the focus to the statement cross emblazoned across her chest, as if saying, this is her true religion.
8. Lily Collins in Givenchy
Kicking off the exquisite employment of the monastic shape is ingenue, Lily Collins. The structured wrap-around at the top and the mini-skirt get a modest peek-a-boo with a sheer overlay that runs to the ground, making it appropriate as it was head-turning. But more than that, it was the Queen Amidala-inspired gothic makeup matched with a black detailed disc crown that made this look a runaway winner.
7. Katy Perry in Versace
“I feel very angelic. Celestial. Ethereal,” Katy Perry said of her look today. With a wingspan of about six feet, she was obviously hard to miss. But apart from the angelic appendage, the singer and past co-chair kept it sexy and slinky in a gold chainmail dress (a Versace signature) paired with gold thigh-high boots to match. Now that is a fashion moment on all counts.
6. Zendaya in Versace
Another warrior sporting Versace this year was actress and singer, Zendaya. The silver armor and chainmail number is a clear reference to the French heroine and Roman Catholic saint, Joan of Arc. Cinched at the waist with slits of skin showing through, Zendaya stayed true to her bold style choice with a banged up short textured bob. Someone knight this young lady into the exclusive order of fashion pundits because she sure knows how to turn a look—all the time.
5. Diane Kruger in Prabal Gurung
As if being lifted on a bed of satin-blue clouds with silver linings, Diane Kruger glided onto the Met Gala in a charming Prabal Gurung creation. A short dress with an exaggerated train in the same shade, she was a sight to behold in her definition of the night’s theme. Taking things to a resplendent extreme, the actress wore a bejewelled net mask over face to juxtapose the froth of the entire ensemble.
4. Solange in Iris Van Herpen
Leave it to the irreverent Losing You songstress to careen out of the night’s assumed typicals and stand out on her own, statement-making accord. Dripping in a latex-like Iris Van Herpen archive piece, Solange kept it true to her nature by wearing the fashionable art with a du rag and a favorite accessory of the night, a halo. The best part of this entire look? Her social media following was part of this all important decision as she took to Twitter to see which dress she should wear to the gala. Brilliant choice, Twitter.
3. Sarah Jessica Parker in Dolce & Gabbana
Even if it were just for the Neapolitan Nativity Scene towering atop her head, SJP would’ve still made the list of best dressed. Come on, this is the Met Gala after all. Made to scale by the Italian duo, the glinting gold gown that it was worn matched its grandeur and intricacy. Larger than life in sheen and decorated hearts, Sarah Jessica Parker is a true fashion saint in whatever she chooses to swathe herself in.
2. Blake Lively in Versace
While Ryan Reynolds was nowhere near to be found, Blake Lively stood fine all on her ravishing own. Cloaked in a Versace statement piece that clocked in at 600 hours to make, she was truly the belle of the ball. The ornate ruby red number is the stuff made of fairytale daydreams and tonight, she was our modern-day princess.
1. Rihanna in Maison Margiela
Habemus papam, it’s time to snuff out the smoke because here comes the pope of fashion. Donning a white beaded corset mini dress under a full skirt, the consistent center of attention at the Met Gala topped her show-stopping look with a beaded bishop’s hat to boot. From her turn in the iconic yellow Guo Pei original to taking on the petalled Comme des Garçons piece, there is no doubt as to why Rihanna was chosen to co-host this year’s fundraising gala. A trendsetting fashion maverick, she is never afraid to take a risk and the results always, always offer a good pay-off. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how fashion and the Catholic imagination is done.
Photos courtesy of E Online, Hollywood Life, Just Jared, Pop Sugar, The Source and Vogue.
